Angono police told: Preventing rape starts with changing mindsets

It’s 2018 and women are still being blamed for rape. Netizens have spoken: this mindset needs to change.

The Angono Municipal Police Station learned this the hard way on Wednesday when an information material providing tips on how to avoid falling victim to rape earned the ire of netizens.

READ: Angono police draw flak over ‘how to prevent rape’ FB post

While the police force’s intention may be good, as acknowledged by critics, the tips shared did not sit well with the public.

Among the tips were “not wearing short clothes” and “not drinking when on a date.”

Critics said the police need to update their mindset on dealing with rape and to stop blaming victims of sexual assault and other forms of gender violence, who are mostly women.

Many expressed the view that “Short clothes and drinking don’t cause rape, rapists do.”

Instead of blaming women, netizens said men must be taught how to respect women and their choices.

According to a report from the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority data showed that in 2015, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) assisted over 150,000 women in especially difficult circumstances (WEDC), despite the many laws we have on protecting women’s rights and welfare.

WEDC refers to “victims and survivors of sexual and physical abuse, illegal recruitment, prostitution, trafficking, armed conflict, women in detention, victims and survivors of rape and incest, and such other related circumstances which have incapacitated them functionally,” according to the Magna Carta of Women.

Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas joined the chorus of critics on Wednesday when she urged the Angono police to take down the post.

“This rotten mindset being perpetrated by the state authorities themselves certainly embolden perpetrators to commit rape and further put women in a difficult situation. And the President’s machismo and misogyny feed into this rape culture,” she added in a statement.

READ: Angono ‘rape reminder’ a classic case of victim-blaming – Gabriela

Senator Risa Hontiveros also assailed the post, saying it pins the unwarranted blame on rape victims and insults them.

“Clothes don’t cause rape, rapists do. Instead of “teaching” women how to dress “appropriately” and limit our choices, our police force should help in educating the public, especially men, that forcing themselves upon women is unacceptable and constitutes rape,” she said.

READ: Hontiveros tells Angono cops: Clothes don’t cause rape, rapists do

Both lawmakers offered their assistance to Angono police so they can come up with gender-sensitive materials and programs on rape prevention.

The Angono police have taken down the post on Wednesday evening. /ee